Camera bellows

ABSTRACT

A bellows structure for use in a photographic camera of the type having a lens supporting door hinged at one end to a main housing. The bellows preferably is molded as a single piece of plastic including integrally formed end frames for attaching the bellows to the housing and door. Stiffening panels are provided at selected locations for controlling fold lines, increasing the thickness of light barriers, and adding structural rigidity.

United States Patent Harvey [54] CAMERA BELLOWS v [72] Inventor: Donald M. Harvey, Rochester, N.Y.

[451 Dec. 19, 1972 3,545,358 12/1970 Russell ..95/39 3,421,425 l/l969 Brandt ..95/39 Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Monroe H. Hayes Att0rneyW. H. J. Kline et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A bellows structure for use in a photographic camera of the type having a lens supporting door hinged at one end to a main housing. The bellows preferably is molded as a single piece of plastic including integrally formed end frames for attaching the bellows to the housing and door. Stiffening panels are provided at selected locations for controlling fold lines, increasing .the thickness of light barriers, and adding structural rigidity.

1 1 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDnEc 19 I972 3. 706, 267

. sum 1 or 4 H. 27 FIG. 4

4s 32 I 29 2 N J- 28 DONALD M. HARVEY INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS PATENTE'DMB 19 I972 3' 706. 2 67 sum 2 BF 4 DONALD M. HARVEY INVENTOR.

AT TORNE YS PATENTEDmw I972 3. 706.267 sum 3 or 4 DONALD M. HARVEY INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS P'A'TENTED 05c 19 I872 SHEU '4 BF 4 DONALD M. HARVEY INVENTOR.

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A r romw' vs 1 CAMERA BELLOWS hinged at one end to the housing and that supports at its opposite end the camera lens-The door is pivotable about its one end for movement between a closed position, locating the lens adjacent the housing, and an open position, angled forwardly away from the housing and supporting the lens in proper image focusing relation relative to filmre ceivablein the camera. A folding bellows extends from the door to the housing for preventing exposure of the film except through the lens. Examples .of such cameras are disclosed in my copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 11 1,468, entitled FOLDING CAMERA," filed on Feb. I, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,831; and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 785,239; 2,880,658; 2,880,659; and 2,880,660. A related but different approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,543,661.

In previously known cameras of this folding type, and referring, for example, to cameras of the type illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,659, the bellows generally is constructed to open into only three flat sides, defined by one rectangular section and two triangular sections. Straight edges of each triangular section are foldably coupled to opposite edges of the rectangular section, and the rectangular section is located opposite the pivot point of the cover door, with the a pexes of the triangular sections extending toward'that pivot point. Such structures generally are satisfactory. However, the bellows itself does not provide a satisfactory light seal at the pivot point between the lens support door and the housing, and the camera therefore requires some type of additional sealing means at least at that locatiOn.

The above-mentioned problem apparently has been eliminated by approaches utilized in certain other types of such folding cameras, illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 785,239 and 3,543,661. In accordance with these approaches, flexible bellows material extends on four sides from the main camera housing all the way to the lens assembly, and the pivotal lens-supporting door itself then serves only a limited function in providing a light seal. However, in alleviating the one problem, several other perhaps more objectionable difficulties are encountered. By way of example only, there is significantly more bellows material that must be properly folded, or otherwise accounted for, with each camera closing. Moreover, the bellows now has two sets of opposed sides that must be folded without interference, a task substantially more difficult than folding only two opposed sides, or provisionmust be made for maintaining one of the sides extended in both of its open and closed positions, again not a simple task at least when the pivot point does not coincide with the connection pointof the bellows to the main housing.

Still further, all of the approaches mentioned above require a flexible material having a significant memory,

or the like, to insure that its collapse will begin at the proper fold lines and will properly progress to a fully folded and flat condition without overlapping double folds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Principal objects of the present invention are to improve the folding, structural rigidity and light-tight qualities of a bellows for folding cameras generally of the types described above, while at the same time simplifying the bellows construction and installation. Other objects include 'the provision of improved methods for manufacturing such bellows.

' Briefly, these and other related objects of the invention are accomplished by means of a novel tubular or four sided bellows, having rigidifying panels joined along their edges by flexible material, and including mechanical connecting means for attaching the bellows to the camera door and housing. Preferably, the be]- lows comprises a single piece of molded plastic materi al with the panels comprising an integral part thereof, but alternate modes of construction are also disclosed.

Various means of practicing the invention and other advantages and novel features thereof will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred and other embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals denote like elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: v

FIGS. 1 through 3 are perspective views of a folding camera embodying a bellows according to the present invention, and respectively illustrating the lens support door in an open position, a partially closed position, and a fully closed position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a molded plastic bellows comprising a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the bellows depicted in FIG. 4 as it might appear after molding;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a portion of FIG. 5 illustrating light sealing means employed at mitered corners of a frame supporting the bellows;

FIG. 7 is a partially cross-sectioned plan view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1, illustrating the manner in which the bellows is attached to the lens support door and the camera housing;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating an alternate means of constructing the bellows by bonding molded plastic panels and a frame to a flexible sheet of opaque fabric or the like;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view through a bellows generally similar to the one illustrated in the preceding figures but molded to its final configuration in one piece;

FIG. 10 is a somewhat schematic perspective view depicting still another alternate means of producing the bellows by applying stiffening panels to a fabric web; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view depicting the assembly of a bellows constructed in accordance with FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The camera depicted in the accompanying drawings,

as an illustrative preferred embodiment of the invention shown'in FIG. l and a closed position shown in FIG. 3. The camera lens 24 and its shutter, not shown, are carried by the sloped end portion 25 of door 23 with the lens located in. image focusing relation to the photosensitive surface of a film within the camera housing when the door is in its open positiomlf desired, the lens can be mounted in athreaded support sleeve or the. equivalent to provide focusing adjustment, as is well known in the camera art.

The illustrative bellows shown'in FIGS. 4, and 6 is injection molded in the form of a flat bellows element, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and -is then'folded into its completed form shown in FIG. 4,'before it is installed in the camera.- As best illustrated in'FIGS. 4 and 5, the bellows element comprises a relatively large rectangular .wall or section 26 between two triangular walls or sections 27. The rectangular wall 26 is provided with two stiffening panels 28 separated by thin webs which define rectangularly disposed folding lines 29 and the triangular walls 27' are similarly provided withstiffening panels 3l which define triangularly disposed webs that establish folding lines 32. Narrow wall segments 33 and 34 extend from theends of the triangular wall sections to provide the foldable fourth wall of the bellows as explained below.

Along its edges, the molded bellows element is provided with frame ribs 35 which are mitered as best shown at 36 in FIG. 6 so that the frame ribs provide rectangular end frames 37 and 38 when the molded bellows .element is folded into its completed form shown in FIG. 4', The mitered corners 36 of the frame ribs are provided with cooperating tongues 39 and grooves 40, best depicted-in FIG. 6, which provide light-tight joints at the comers of the rectangular end frames The frame ribs extending along the edgesof the narrow bellows wall segments 33 are spaced apart to define corresponding folding lines 41. The ends of the latter ribs are notched to overlap each other as shown at numeral 42 in FIGS. 4 and 5 and are provided with mating tongues and grooves 43 and 44 to provide lighttight self-aligning joints, which are cemented or otherwise permanently bonded. A thin flap 45 extends beyond the corresponding ends of frame ribs 35 and is cemented in place as shown in FIG. 3 to further ensure the light-tightness of the joint overlapped by the flap.

The material of which the bellows element is molded is preferably an opaque relatively flexible plastic such as polypropylene, which is adapted to flex along the folding line sections of the bellows without fracturing. As is evident form FIGS. 1 through 3, the bellows can therefore be collapsed from its extended condition to its closed condition, in which its stiffening panels are folded inwardly along the various folding lines defined,

by the stiffening panels and the frame ribs.

By reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, it will be apparent that the edges of the frame ribs are sloped so that the end frames of the completed bellows have flat end faces 46. Mounting pins 47 are formed integrally with the frame ribs at right angles thereto so that they extend in normal relationto the flat end faces 46 of the bellows frames. As shown inFIG. 7, the camera cover door and the bellows support wall 48 located within the camera housing are provided with respective rectangular grooves 49 and 51 adapted to receive the corresponding bellows end frames. I-Ioles 52 in the cover door and the housing wall 48 receive the mounting pins on the bellows end frames, which are deformed by a hot swaging tool to securely lock the bellows in place. The reception of the frames in the respective grooves 49 and 51 assures light-tight cooperation between the bellows and the camera housing and door and automatically aligns the mounting pins with their respective holes to-simplify the assembly operation. The fourth flexible bellows wall, pr ovided'by the end segments 33 and 34 of the bellows element, can serve as the hinge for the lens support door; but the door is preferably provided with a pair of opposed hinge ears 53, shown in FIG. 7, which are supported by hinge pins 54 carried by the camera housing in alignment with the folding .line extending along the narrow bellows wall.

Acollapsibletog'gle strut 55, partially shown in FIG. 7, is located within the bellows and is adapted to hold the lens'support door in its operative position. Such an internal strut is disclosed in greater detail in my copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. l 1 1,468, entitled FOLDING CAMERA, filed on Feb. 1, 1971, now US. Pat. No. 3,665,831. To close the lens support door, finger pressure is applied to'the center folding line of the rectangular bellows wall section 26 to flex the strut lightly and thereby overcome its toggle action. Thereupon, the door can be pressed rearwardly to its fully closed position, where. it is retained by an appropriate latch, not shown. It should be recognized that a similar strut, could be employed thatwould remain slightly flexed in its fully extended position and that the bellows could be less than completely extended when the lens support door isfully open; thus allowing the door to be closed by rearward pressure alone without requiring initial flexing of the strutby the application of finger pressure against the bellows.

DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT FIG. 8 shows an alternate bellows construction in which an injection molded bellows element 56 includes frame ribs 57 and stiffening panels 58 of the same general configuration as shown in FIGS. 4 through 7. However, instead of being joined together by integral flexible webs defining the folding lines of the bellows, the panels and frame ribs are initially maintained in properly spaced relation to each other by integral molded bridge members 59. While it is still in its flat condition, the bellows element is bonded to a sheet of flexible opaque fabric 61 or the like, which is either already cut to shape or trimmed around the edges of the bellows element after the bonding operation has been performed. Thereupon, the bridge members are broken off or removed in some other manner so that the bellows member can be folded along the hinge lines defined by the stiffening panels and the frame ribs. The bellows is then completed as previously described and the joint at the center of the fourth bellows wall is sealed by an overlapping flap of the fabric material. This construction, therefore, provides a bellows substantially identical to the one previously described but in which the flexible joints or fold lines comprise fabric material rather than integral plastic webs.

DESCRIPTION OF SECOND ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT FIG. 9 illustrates another alternate embodiment of the invention comprising a bellows similar to those previously described but adapted to be molded in one piece in its final form. To allow the bellows 62 to be formed in a simple two-part molding die using a onepiece core member to define its interior surfaces, the

molded member to be removed easily from the twopart die. Alternatively, it will be apparent that a similar bellows could be formed by 'means of a molding die having more than two relatively movable elements, in which case both of the end frames could extend outwardly from the corresponding open ends of the bellows. FIG. 9 also illustrates the fact that the triangular walls of the bellows need not be equilateral as shown in the preceding figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THIRD ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT Another embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 10, which shows a means for continuously applying stiffening panels 69 to a web of moving fabric material 71 by means of a-revolving roller 72 that is coated with a viscous fluid plastic material. 73 applied from a hopper or head box 74. Shallow cavities 75 in the roller receive the fluid plastic material, which is distributed by a doctor blade 76, so that little or no plastic remains on the cylindrical periphery of the roller. As the fabric moves longitudinally in unison with the rotating roller, the plastic material in the cavities is deposited on the fabric in the same type of stiffening panel pattern shown in FIG. 5 and is solidified by a plurality of infrared lamps 77 or other heating or solvent extracting means. The fabric is then cut to provide individual flexible bellows elements 78 of the same shape shown in FIG. 5. After each such element is folded and cemented to form a rectangular tube as illustrated in FIG. 11, a pair of injection molded frame members 79 are inserted into opposite ends of the tubular bellows element and are cemented in place to complete the bellows.

It should now be apparent to those skilled in the art, and from the above description, that an improved bellows structure, with previously unobtainable advantages, has been provided in the general form of a four-sided tube. The fourth side is only long enough to seal the hinge point of a pivotal lens mounting door, and therefore does not present significant additional problems, as compared to prior four-sided bellows, in closing the door. Additionally, stiffening panels have been provided at selected locations for increasing the rigidity of the bellows in its open condition, and for establishing fold lines facilitating proper collapse of the bellows. Similarly, rigid frame structures have been provided for facilitating assembly of the bellows into its final configuration as well as its coupling to a corresponding camera. Still further, at least in accordance with one feature of the present invention, the bellows is especially well adapted for manufacture by injection molding techniques, and, in accordance with other features, can be molded as a single piece substantially ready for simplified coupling to' its cooperating camera structures. Of course other advantageous features will now be apparent to those skilled in the art and from the above description.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to illustrative preferred embodiments thereof,-but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

. Iclaim:

l. A collapsible bellows for providing a light-tight enclosure between a bellows support element of a camera housing and a lens support door, the-door having one end mounting the lens and an opposite end pivotally coupled to the housing for movement between a closed position generally parallel to the housing and an open position in oblique relation to the housing, said bellows comprising:

a. a pair of substantially rectangular frames defined by relatively rigid rectangularly disposed ribs establishing four edges in each of said frames, said frames being adapted respectively to be attached to said door and said bellows support element;

. a light-tight bendable and relatively short first bellows wall joining the ribs of said frames at one edge adapted to be positioned adjacent the pivotally supported end of the door;

. c. a light-tight foldable and relatively long second bellows wall joining the ribs of said frames at an i edge oppositethe one edge;

(1. a pair of light-tight foldable and generally triangular third bellows walls disposed in confronting relation to each other, each of saidthircl bellows walls being joined to the ribs of said frames at the remaining edges, respectively, and extending between said first and second walls; and,

e. means defining folding regions within and between said second and third walls along which said walls are adapted to fold to permit said bellows to be collapsed and extended to accommodate closing and opening movement of said door.

2. A bellows according to claim 1, wherein said frame ribs include mounting means for attaching said bellows to said camera door and to said bellows support element of said housing.

3. A bellows according to claim 1, wherein said bellows walls and said frame ribs are formed as an integral structure.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the bellows is molded in one piece from plastic material to form a rectangular tube.

5. A bellows according to claim 3, wherein said folding regions are defined by said ribs and by stiffening panels formed integrally with said bellows walls.

6. A bellows according to claim 1, comprising a single molded plastic bellows element that is formed in lows element produced in flat condition by applying stiffening panels to a flat flexible sheet, said stiffening panels definingsaid folding regions, and said sheet then being folded into the form of a rectangular tube and attached to itself along its meeting edges.

10. A bellows according to claim 9, wherein said rectangular end frames are formed separately from said bellows element and are attached to opposite ends of said bellows element when the latter is folded into rectangular tubular shape.

11. A bellows according to claim 1, wherein said frames include substantially flat end faces provided with mounting members adapted to attach the respective frames to said camera door and to said bellows support element of said housing. 

1. A collapsible bellows for providing a light-tight enclosure between a bellows support element of a camera housing and a lens support door, the door having one end mounting the lens and an opposite end pivotally coupled to the housing for movement between a closed position generally parallel to the housing and an open position in oblique relation to the housing, said bellows comprising: a. a pair of substantially rectangular frames defined by relatively rigid rectangularly disposed ribs establishing four edges in each of said frames, said frames being adapted respectively to be attached to said door and said bellows support element; b. a light-tight bendable and relatively short first bellows wall joining the ribs of said frames at one edge adapted to be positioned adjacent the pivotally supported end of the door; c. a light-tight foldable and relatively long second bellows wall joining the ribs of said frames at an edge opposite the one edge; d. a pair of light-tight foldable and generally triangular third bellows walls disposed in confronting relation to each other, each of said third bellows walls being joined to the ribs of said frames at the remaining edges, respectively, and extending between said first and second walls; and, e. means defining folding regions within and between said second and third walls along which said walls are adapted to fold to permit said bellows to be collapsed and extended to accommodate closing and opening movement of said door.
 2. A bellows according to claim 1, wherein said frame ribs include mounting means for attaching said bellows to said camera door and to said bellows support element of said housing.
 3. A bellows accorDing to claim 1, wherein said bellows walls and said frame ribs are formed as an integral structure.
 4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the bellows is molded in one piece from plastic material to form a rectangular tube.
 5. A bellows according to claim 3, wherein said folding regions are defined by said ribs and by stiffening panels formed integrally with said bellows walls.
 6. A bellows according to claim 1, comprising a single molded plastic bellows element that is formed in generally flat condition and then folded into the shape of a rectangular tube and joined to itself along said first bellows wall.
 7. A bellows according to claim 3 in which said ribs molded integrally with said bellows element include cooperating light barrier means for providing light-tight frame corners when said element is folded into the form of a rectangular tube.
 8. A bellows according to claim 3 in which said frames project inwardly at the corresponding open ends of said bellows.
 9. A bellows according to claim 1, comprising a bellows element produced in flat condition by applying stiffening panels to a flat flexible sheet, said stiffening panels defining said folding regions, and said sheet then being folded into the form of a rectangular tube and attached to itself along its meeting edges.
 10. A bellows according to claim 9, wherein said rectangular end frames are formed separately from said bellows element and are attached to opposite ends of said bellows element when the latter is folded into rectangular tubular shape.
 11. A bellows according to claim 1, wherein said frames include substantially flat end faces provided with mounting members adapted to attach the respective frames to said camera door and to said bellows support element of said housing. 